New Canaan Residents Report Finding Seven Bats in Bedrooms

Residents reported finding seven bats in the bedrooms of local homes last week, according to officials in the Animal Control section of the New Canaan Police Department.

Five of the bats were located and sent to a lab in Rocky Hill, but two could not be found upon the arrival of a professional, according to Officer Allyson Halm, head of the section.

Three of the five bats found tested negative for rabies, and results for the remaining two are pending, she said.

The families living in the homes where the bats could not be located for euthanization and testing are going through their rabies vaccines, Halm said.

“You don’t know how long the bat’s been in the house,” Halm said. “They’re so small that you may not know that you were scratched or bitten.”

Following a recent change, the state only pays for rabies tests when a bat is located where someone has been sleeping, otherwise Connecticut residents must pay themselves to have a bat tested.

August is a very active month for bats because young bats are ready to venture into the world, officials said. People should make sure that their chimney flues are secure, their lights are turned off, and their doors are shut. Bats are attracted to bugs, which are attracted to lights.

Halm said that “bat proofing” a home is a smart idea, instead of waiting until the animal enters the home.

“Especially older homes need to be reviewed in order to avoid having this situation,” she said.

Animal Control does not remove live bats from private homes—instead, the agency recommends calling a local Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator.